Start ‘Em or Sit ‘Em, Week 15: Don’t Chortle, Start Bortles

If you’ve got any Start/Sit questions heading into your semi-final weekend, please don’t hesitate to drop them in the comments! I’ll be answering them before the Saturday @ 4:30 p.m. EST game so get them in early!

Quarterbacks

Start

Nick Foles, @NYG, 41.7%: If you are a Carson Wentz owner in a deep league, Foles is strong (and obvious) replacement option.  Seeing as his ownership percentage has gone from 0.1% to 41.6% since my article on Tuesday — others seem to agree with me. Here’s what I said Tuesday about what is working in Foles’s favor: “For one, Wentz didn’t get here on his own — this Eagles team has been solid on both sides of the ball, top to bottom, left to right, inside and outside. Secondly, the Eagles week 15 opponent, the Giants, have allowed the most fantasy points to opposing QBs this year. Lastly, Foles is 2-0 against the Giants in his career with a 63% completion percentage with 445 yards and 4 TDs.” In week 16, Foles also has a nice match-up against the Raiders who have allowed 20 passing TDs to only 2 INTs (fewest in the league.)

Blake Bortles, vs. HOU, 37.6%: Blake Bortles was a bit of a punchline earlier this season, but has come on strong the past three weeks. He scored 22 fantasy points against the Cardinals, 24 against the Colts and even had 18 against the Seahawks. The emergence of Dede Westbrook in this offense has helped Bortles in a big way. BB is finishing the season strong with two weak opponents. In week 15 he gets the Texans who have allowed the 5th most fantasy points to QBs and in week 16 he’ll face the 49ers who have allowed the 3rd most fantasy points to QBs. The unlikeliest of heroes, Bortles could lead a lot of 2 QB league teams to championships.

Joe Flacco, @ CLE, 8.5%: The deepest QB recommendation I can provide is for Mr. Joe Flacco. The only double-digit fantasy game Flacco had in his first six starts this season came against his week 15 opponent, the Browns. Even that game wasn’t that great: 217 yards, 2 TDs and 1 INT for 14 fantasy points. Over his last two games Flacco seems to have rediscovered some semblance of fantasy relevance. He has a pair of 269 yard games with 2 TDs in each game. The Browns have allowed the most passing TDs on the season setting up Flacco nicely for a 2 QB or DEEP league. Flacco will also find himself facing the Colts in your championship game who have allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing QBs.

Sit

Alex Smith, vs LAC, 92.9% owned: Back in the first half of the season when Smith was still in MVP conversations, his worst game came in week 3 against his week 15 opponent, the Chargers. The Chargers have allowed the third fewest passing TDs, the third fewest fantasy points to QBs and have swiped the 3rd most INTs. You can probably find a better option than Smith this week.

Running Backs

Start

Rod Smith, @ OAK, 15.1% starting: It’s hard to come up with new material when you’re telling people who they should add on Tuesday and then who they should start on Saturday — so here’s me quoting me: “Smith hadn’t been doing too much to start but has now scored a rushing TD in each of his last 3 games and even went crazy in the receiving game in week 14, grabbing 5 passes for 113 yards and a TD. The Raiders defense just got lit up for 22 fantasy points by Kareem Hunt and has routinely been allowing over 20 fantasy points to opposing rushers (8 times.) If Smith continues to get involved he might even be FLEX worthy in week 15.”

Mike Davis, 8.8% starting: Hate it or love it Mike Davis is on top. He’s over his week 14 rib injury. He’s rushed over 15 times for over 60 yards in his last two games since becoming RB1 in Seattle against two tough run defenses in the Eagles (the best against RBs) and Jaguars (8th best.) Week 15 he’ll face the Rams who are second worst against RBs and in week 16 he’ll get the Cowboys (literally smack dab in the middle — 16th against RBs.)

Sit

Carlos Hyde, vs TEN, 85% starting: Everybody chill, I’m just saying you should be cautious with his match-up. Hyde has only rushed over 100 yards once this season way back in week 2 and has scored over 13 fantasy points once since week 7. Hyde’s week 15 opponent, the Titans have allowed the fewest rushing TDs on the season and the second-fewest rushing yards. I don’t see Hyde reaching double-digit fantasy points this week.

Wide Receivers

Start

Mohamed Sanu, @ TB, 42.3%: Y’all gotta stop this sub-50% starting thing you’ve got going with Sanu. In week 12 Sanu grabbed 8 passes for 64 yards and 20 fantasy points in PPR leagues and now he gets them again in week 15. The Buccaneers have just been lousy covering WRs this season allowing the most fantasy points to them.

Dede Westbrook, vs HOU, 9.2% starting: Dede is a carryover from my Tuesday Waiver Wired article. Sorry if this seems lazy, but I thoroughly believe in my picks: “Three straight weeks of double-digit fantasy scoring should have Dede jumping to the top of your waiver claim list. Each week his point total has gone up as well (10, 13, 19) meaning Blake Bortles is liking what he see-sees from Dede. Week 15 sees the Jaguars facing off against the Texans who have allowed the 8th most fantasy points to WRs this season. I could honestly see Dede breaking the 20 point mark in your FLEX spot.”

Tyrell Williams, @ KC, 2.7%: In deep leagues you have to consider Tyrell a viable flex option. Here’s what I said Tuesday: “In week 14 Tyrell just had the best game of his season going for 132 yards and a TD against the Redskins. Week 15 Tyrell gets the Chiefs who have allowed the second most fantasy points to WRs all season. You want Tyrell in your FLEX spot in week 15.”

Sit

Stefon Diggs, vs CIN, 42.5% starting: Diggs has been inconsistent and unreliable all season. Now, in your semi-final match-up he gets the Bengals who have allowed the 4th fewest receiving yards to WRs and 4th fewest fantasy points.

Tight Ends

Start

Charles Clay, vs MIA, 10.7% starting: Since returning from injury in week 10 Clay hasn’t done much of anything for the Bills. I think that is due for a change as the Miami Dolphins come to town. The Dolphins have allowed the 6th most fantasy points to TEs this season.

Benjamin Watson, @ CLE, 3.4%: I fully understand this is a leap of faith start recommendation, but Watson had his best game of 2017 in week 2 against these same Browns. He grabbed 8 receptions for 91 yards for a 17 fantasy point game. The Browns have allowed double-digit fantasy points to TEs in 11 of their 13 games this season.

Sit: NONE. The TEs who are starting in over 50% of leagues might have some tough match-ups, but no so tough that I would recommend you sit them.

Defense/Special Teams

Start

Redskins D/ST vs ARI, 27.0%: The Cardinals have allowed an average of 11.85 fantasy points to the defenses they’ve faced over their last 7 games. They’ve been relying on Blaine Gabbert at QB and are without Adrian Peterson for the remainder of the season which sets up the Redskins for a solid match-up.

Sit

Chargers D/ST, @ KC, 69.7% owned: The Chiefs have allowed only 1 opposing defense to score double-digit fantasy points on them. In week 3, they held these same Chargers to only 5 fantasy points. I think the Chargers will limit Alex Smith (see above) but Kareem Hunt-amania is going run wild on them, brother! (6th most rushing yards allowed this season.)

Kickers

Start

Robbie Gould, vs TEN, 36.7% starting: Gould is currently 6th in fantasy scoring among kickers yet still is owned in less than 50% of leagues. Allow me to remind you of my Tuesday article: “I told you all to grab Gould last week and he put up 17 big fantasy points. His week 15 opponent, the Titans, have tied the Bengals for most FGs allowed in the league. Expect another 15+ fantasy point game from Gould.”

Sit

Chris Boswell, vs NE, 73% starting: You know who has allowed the least FGs this season? The Patriots. You know who has the second-lowest field goal percentage against? The Patriots. Do me a favor and don’t start Boswell.